Washington: South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun requested U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday to enable Koreans detained in a recent U.S. immigration raid to swiftly head home without being handcuffed, and avoid any disadvantages with future reentry into the United States, Seoul's foreign ministry said.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Cho and Rubio met at the White House as Seoul seeks an early release of some 300 South Korean nationals detained in last week's immigration raid at an electric vehicle battery plant construction site for a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution in Bryan County near Savannah, Georgia.
The Koreans were initially scheduled to leave the U.S. aboard a chartered plane on Wednesday afternoon to return home, but their release has been delayed due to "unspecified U.S. circumstances," according to Seoul officials.
"Especially, (Cho) strongly requested the U.S. administration's special interest and support to ensure they can swiftly depart the U.S. without any physical restraints, including handcuffs -- given that they are not criminals -- and that they should not face any disadvantages if or when they revisit the U.S.," the ministry said in a press release.
Cho proposed creating a working group to discuss various options, including establishing a new visa category, as part of efforts to prevent a repeat of Koreans' detention, it said.
The minister relayed "deep concerns" over the "big scar" and "shock" that Korean citizens as a whole suffered while watching the public arrest of South Korean workers who had come to the U.S. to share technology and know-how in order to contribute to U.S. efforts to revitalize domestic manufacturing.
Noting that Washington understands the "sensitivity of this matter," the secretary said President Donald Trump directed him to promptly have consultations with Seoul and take measures to ensure that things will materialize according to "what South Korea wishes," according to the ministry.
"According to (the outcome from) the meeting, our government has been actively engaging in working-level consultations with the U.S. side, and is making all efforts to ensure that our citizens are released from detention and return home at the earliest possible time," the ministry said in a press release.
In a separate readout, Tommy Pigott, the State Department's principal deputy spokesperson, said that Rubio welcomed South Korea's investment in the U.S. and showed his interest in deepening cooperation on that front.
The chief diplomats emphasized their shared commitment to addressing the "destabilizing" threats posed by North Korea's "unlawful" nuclear and missile programs, Pigott said.
They also discussed advancing the bilateral alliance through a "forward-looking agenda that strengthens deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, expands equitable defense burden sharing, revitalizes American manufacturing through ROK investment in shipbuilding and other strategic sectors, and promotes a fair and reciprocal trade partnership," according to the spokesperson.
Pigott noted that the top diplomats underscored the "lasting" strength of the alliance, which he said has been "the linchpin of peace, security, and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and throughout the Indo-Pacific for more than 70 years."